What does Board Certification mean?
Before choosing a plastic surgeon, make sure he or she is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery (ABPS). The ABPS has strict criteria for board certification. To become board certified in plastic surgery a doctor must graduate from an accredited medical school, and complete an approved residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He or she must also have been in practice for a minimum of two years before becoming eligible to sit for the exam, and pass both written and oral plastic surgery examinations. Board certification takes approximately 8 years after graduation from medical school. To find a board certified plastic surgeon near you, use our Plastic Surgeon Locator.
